N Korean ballistic missile fired into Japan Sea

Themorningbellbd.com desk, April 5: North Korea has fired a ballistic missile from its eastern port of Sinpo into the Sea of Japan, US and South Korean officials say.

South Korea’s defence ministry said the missile flew about 60km (40 miles).

It is the latest in a series of tests which the North says is peaceful but the West fears is part of a programme to develop nuclear weapons.

The launch comes on the eve of a visit by China’s President Xi Jinping to the US to meet President Donald Trump.

The two will discuss how to rein in North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

The North is banned from any missile or nuclear tests by the UN, though has repeatedly broken those sanctions.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described the launch as “yet another” intermediate range ballistic missile, adding: “The United States has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment.”

The US military’s Pacific Command said it appeared to have been a KN-15 medium-range ballistic missile.

“The North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America,” it said.

Japan called the launch “provocative”, while South Korea condemned it as “a blunt challenge” to the UN and “a threat to the peace and safety of the international community as well as the Korean peninsula”.

Last month, North Korea fired four ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan from the Tongchang-ri region, near the border with China.